November 15, 2017 | Daily Monitoring Report
Security Council Maintains Partial Lifting Of Arms Embargo On Somalia For One Year
15 November – Source: UN.org – 236 Words
The Security Council on Tuesday renewed until 15 November 2018 the partial lifting of the arms embargo on Somalia, authorization for maritime interdiction of illicit arms imports and charcoal exports, and the humanitarian exemption. In the resolution adopted by 11 affirmative votes and four abstentions, the 15-member body requested the Somalia and Eritrea Monitoring Group (SEMG) to continue its investigations related to the export to Somalia of chemicals that may be used as oxidisers in the manufacture of improvised explosive devices, such as the precursors ammonium nitrate, potassium chlorate, potassium nitrate and sodium chlorate. Those abstained in the vote were Bolivia, China, Egypt and Russia.
Further, the Council extended until 15 December 2018 the mandate of the SEMG, and recognised that during the course of its current and three previous mandates, the SEMG has not found conclusive evidence that Eritrea supports Al-Shabaab in Somalia. The Council expressed its intention to keep measures on Eritrea under regular review, in light of the upcoming midterm update by the SEMG due by 30 April 2018. Recalling the three meetings between an Eritrean government representative and the SEMG, the Council reiterated its expectation that Eritrea’s Government will facilitate the entry of the SEMG into Eritrea to discharge fully its mandate. The Council urged Eritrea and Djibouti to engage on the issue of the Djiboutian combatants missing in action and to seek all available solutions to settle their border dispute peacefully.
Key Headlines
- Security Council Maintains Partial Lifting Of Arms Embargo On Somalia For One Year (UN.org)
- Prime Minister Khaire To Visit Barawa Today (Jowhar.com)
- Somali Government Releases Names Of Six Individuals Involved In Mogadishu Truck Bomb (Hiiraan Online)
- E. African Bloc Calls For Sustaining Peace In Warring Somalia Regions (Xinhuanet)
- Could Somalia’s Vibrant Private Sector Produce Goods Somali Consumers Need Locally? (World Bank Blogs)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Prime Minister Khaire To Visit Barawe Today
15 November – Source: Jowhar.com – 132 Words
Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire is today expected to visit the coastal town of Barawa in Lower Shabelle region, according to sources close to Villa Somalia. The objective of his trip is to assess the situation of the town, meet with senior Somali National Army commanders and discuss with them about the anticipated offensive in region against Al-Shabaab.
Reports say that Prime Minister Khaire will be accompanied by members of the Cabinet and senior military officials. His visit will come amid ongoing preparation and mobilization by SNA in Barawa in a bid to wage an offensive against the Al-Shabaab militants. Recently, SNA has taken over several small villages near the town from Al-Shabaab. Barawa, a strategic coastal town was one of the Al-Shabaab key strongholds until they were dislodged from the town late 2014.
Somali Government Releases Names Of Six Individuals Involved In Mogadishu Truck Bomb
15 November – Source: Hiiraan Online – 252 Words
Somali government on Tuesday published names of six men who were involved in Zoobe truck bombing, which killed more than 350 people and injured 600 others. Speaking to state owned television (SNTV), the country’s security minister, Mohamed Abukar Islow said Osman Haji aka Maadey was identified as the suicide bomber, who was driving the truck which killed hundreds on 14th October.
Somali intelligence agency has arrested five individuals in connection with the country’s deadliest bombing, according to the minister. “The government arrested five suspects for Oct 14 attack. So far, we have in custody, five men who are; Mr. Hassan Adan Isack, the driver of the second car, Mr. Ali Yussuf Ways aka Duale, who would have been the second suicide bomber, Mr. Abdiweli Ahmed Dirie, the group’s head of explosive experts in Mogadishu, Mr. Muktar Mohamed known as Gardhuub, senior leader and Mr. Abdullahi Abdi Warsame,” said Islow.
The minister noted that the security forces launched a manhunt in search of the truck owner, whose name has not been released. “Apart from those in custody, our forces are hunting down the owner of the truck who is on run. Additionally the seventh person was the driver of the truck who died in the blast,” the Minister explained. One month after the deadliest bombing, Somali government on Tuesday released CCTV showing the truck used for the blast, hitting other vehicles on its way to Zoobe junction where it went off, killing hundreds and destroying nearby hotels, restaurants, shops, NGOs and government installations.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
E. African Bloc Calls For Sustaining Peace In Warring Somalia Regions
15 November – Source: Xinhuanet – 272 Words
Africa’s regional bloc IGAD on Tuesday called on the international community to sustain and build peace between Somalia’s rival regional states of Puntland and Galmudug. A statement issued after a two-day meeting, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) vowed to work with Somalia’s federal government and Puntland and Galmudug administrations to find a lasting solution to the protracted clashes over control of the central town of Galkayo.
Galkayo is currently divided into two districts, with Galmudug governing the south and Puntland the north. The town has been plagued by recurrent clashes between the neighboring states over its control. The ceasefire deal signed in January between President Abdiweli Mohamed Ali of Puntland and President Abdikarim Hussein Guled of Galmudug ended clashes between forces of the rival states, which first broke out in October 2016, killing over 50 people including civilians and displaced over 90,000 others.
By signing the deal, the state presidents agreed to cease hostilities by withdrawing forces from the disputed town and to build confidence between the two state administrations. IGAD called upon Puntland and Galmudug administrations to proactively support the peace committees to fully engage in the upcoming peace-building efforts. “IGAD remains committed to supporting the federal government of Somalia in its mandate to build peace, security, and stability in Somalia,” it said.
IGAD through its Special Mission to Somalia (SMS) organized a two-day Consensus Building Preparatory Workshop for peace-building and the implementation of the different ceasefire and peace agreements signed between Puntland and Galmudug over Galkayo disputes. The workshop brought together governors and mayors of Puntland and Galmudug to discuss a roadmap to bring about a lasting peace.
OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE
“But the government can play a role in protecting the Somali consumer from the dumping of imported goods and other methods of undermining domestic businesses, and also in encouraging Foreign Direct Investments that would create Somali jobs and Somali goods,”
Could Somalia’s Vibrant Private Sector Produce Goods Somali Consumers Need Locally?
12 November- Source: World Bank Blogs – 411 Words
When the central government of Somalia collapsed in 1991, everything collapsed with it. Infrastructure was destroyed. Basic services, such as electricity and clean water, were no longer provided. Government institutions were looted. As a result, the economy disintegrated and the Somali people’s contract with the State became void. In the following years, the civil war and recurrent droughts forced many people to migrate or join extremist groups.
In recent years, however, the situation has gradually changed for the better. Government institutions are slowly recovering and becoming stronger, people are enjoying relative peace, and the economy is being revitalized by capital from the diaspora. Nonetheless, many challenges remain, including the most chronic one: youth unemployment. How can we create job opportunities for the youth? One possible solution is establishing Small Production Businesses (SPB) in the country. Production businesses are scarce in Somalia. Almost all the commodities used in the country are imported, including most of the processed food. Goods that could easily be manufactured locally are imported. Many of these commodities could be produced and processed, and create thousands of jobs for young people.
Production businesses would provide the platform for establishing small-scale factories, using local, raw materials. The creation of such businesses would bring two benefits: creating jobs and producing cheaper goods for local consumption. One example is poultry: In Somalia, most food items, except for meat and milk, are imported. Many Somalis consume chicken and other poultry products, yet those goods are all imported. Poultry farms are cost-effective and relatively easy to establish, and provide skills training and employment opportunities for young people.
TOP TWEETS
.@Goobjoognews: UNDERAGE VOTING recorded but process largely above board- Somaliland polls observers –
@HarunMaruf: CCTV footage purportedly shows Al-Shabab’s “TM” truck hitting other vehicles (consistent with witness accounts) on its way to K-5 junction where it exploded – one month ago today – killing at least 414 people, wounded hundreds. #mogadishutruckbomb
#Somalia
@SahraCabdi: Great Britain’s Sir Mo Farah receives knighthood from the Queen http://dailym.ai/2AE6NpO via @MailOnline
.@HarunMaruf: Int’l observers praised Monday’s Somaliland election as “peaceful and well-organised”. Observers noted some key concerns – i.e. underage voting, interference of security personnel in some stations BUT these were not substantive enough to undermine election itself, observers say.
@AbdisalamAato: Breaking: #SecurityCouncil renewed partial lifting of arms embargo on #Somalia for one year – In the resolution adopted by 11 affirmative votes and four abstentions, Those abstained in the vote were #Bolivia, #China, #Egypt and#Russia.
@SomaliFaces: #SomaliFaces donates an ambulance and emergency supplies to @AaminAmbulance in #Mogadishu#Somalia. We named ambulance #14October in remembrance to 500 casualties of #MogadishuTruckBomb. “…and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind (5:32)
@engyarisow: Minister of Security published names and photos of suspects of the #MogadishuTruckBomb on 14 October 2016 – so far 5 suspects are in custody, one died as he was the driver of the truck and the owner of the truck is on the run#NabadiyoNolol
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire at the Kacdoonka Nabada youth event last night.
Photo: @SomaliPM